


welcome home

by onlyeverthus



Category: Elementary (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-25
Updated: 2015-02-25
Packaged: 2018-03-15 00:25:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3431120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onlyeverthus/pseuds/onlyeverthus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kitty Winter returns to New York, and the brownstone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	welcome home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ProfessorSpork](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProfessorSpork/gifts).



> Written for my lovely friend Leah for her birthday <3

"What do you think?" Joan asks, adjusting the banner over the kitchen windows one more time before turning to look at Sherlock and Marcus.

Marcus smiles and gives her a thumbs up, but Sherlock crinkles his nose.

"A welcome home banner?"

"It says 'welcome back', not 'welcome home'," Joan says as she descends the ladder.

"C'mon, Holmes," Marcus says. "Kitty's better, she's coming back, that's worth celebrating."

"But a party?"

"It's not really a _party_ ," Joan says, giving Sherlock a look as she adjusts one of the napkins on the table. "Just dinner with us and Ms. Hudson and Captain Gregson. We're all excited that she's back."

"A nice case would be better," Sherlock insists, turning and striding from the kitchen.

"Sure, I'll just go out and find a dead body," Marcus deadpans as he and Joan follow, making Joan smirk.

"I doubt you'd have much difficulty," Sherlock retorts.

"Sherlock, why are you so against this?"

Sherlock stands a moment, not looking at them, hands fidgeting at his sides, and then takes a breath.

"I just don't think we should make such a fuss. Of course I'm happy that she's back, but I feel we should maintain the status quo. Business as usual. Kitty knows how we feel about her –"

"And sometimes it's nice to have proof of that," Joan interrupts softly, raising her eyebrows.

Sherlock meets her gaze, holding it for a long moment before bowing his head.

"Fair enough."

There's a brief beat of silence, and then Marcus looks at his watch.

"Kitty's plane lands in a little less than an hour, we should get going."

Joan nods, and walks back into the kitchen. "Ms. Hudson –"

"Everything is under control!" Ms. Hudson says, beaming. "Everything will be ready and waiting when you all get back."

Joan smiles and nods, and joins Marcus and Sherlock as they walk out to Marcus's car.

 

 

A short while later, they're waiting at the arrivals gate. Joan and Marcus are seated side by side, his arm around her as she leans lightly against his side, and they're both watching Sherlock prowl among the other people waiting.

"What is he doing?" Marcus mutters.

"You know he can't stay still," Joan replies, her lips curving.

"Yeah, well, at least he finally quit coming up to your room when I spend the night. I mean, setting an alarm outside the door is just as intrusive, but as long as he's not just busting into the room anymore…"

Joan gives a quick laugh, and shakes her head.

After a few minutes, Sherlock comes to sit on Joan's other side. "That man with the enormous bouquet of flowers is having an affair."

"And how do you know that?" Marcus asks, leaning forward to look past Joan.

"The size and variety of that bouquet of flowers isn't one a man would typically give his wife, especially one married as long as that gentleman, who I would wager is in his early 50's. His hair is obviously dyed to cover grey, and the clothing he's wearing is at least 20 years too young for him, as is probably his girlfriend. And he has a very obvious tan line on his left ring finger, indicating a wedding ring that is worn frequently, but was removed very recently, quite probably just before he came to the airport to pick up his accomplice in adultery."

"He could have just gotten divorced," Marcus says, raising his eyebrows.

Sherlock doesn't reply, just favors Marcus with a sidelong look, and Joan presses her lips together in amusement.

Finally, people start coming through the doors, and Joan says, "This should be Kitty's flight," as she pushes to stand.

Marcus and Sherlock stand as well, and the three of them move closer to watch for Kitty.

"There she is," Joan says after a few minutes, smiling when she spots the other woman.

Kitty smiles too when she sees Joan, and quickens her pace until she reaches them. Her arms circle Joan's neck, and Joan utters a surprised, "Oh!", hesitating for just a moment before she hugs Kitty back.

"Something new I'm trying out," Kitty says when she pulls away, still smiling.

"That's good," Joan says. "Hugs are good."

Kitty grins, and then glances at Marcus, who smiles too as he says, "Good to have you back."

"Thanks, Detective Bell," Kitty replies, and then steps over to Sherlock.

They stare at each other for a minute, and then Sherlock raises his eyebrows. "Welcome home, Kitty."

"Thank you, Sherlock," she replies, pressing her lips together as she looks up at him.

"Do you have luggage?" Joan asks.

"Yeah, just a suitcase," Kitty says, looking at Joan, and then her eyes drop to where Joan and Marcus's hands are joined between them. "That's new."

"Work in progress," Joan says, smirking as she glances at Marcus, who grins back as he shakes his head.

 

 

Later that night, after dinner, and after Marcus, Gregson, and Ms. Hudson have all gone home for the evening, Joan taps on Kitty's door, waiting until the other woman says she can enter before pushing inside.

Kitty's on her bed, files and papers spread in front of her, and Joan laughs.

"Sherlock already put you to work?" she says.

"Sort of," Kitty replies, a wry smile on her face. "Cases you guys worked while I was gone, he wants me to look at the evidence and see if I can come to the right conclusion."

Joan laughs again, and then shrugs as she folds her arms over her chest. "I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"I'm good," Kitty says with a nod. "Spent a few months in London, did a lot of thinking, a lot of soul searching, as they like to call it. I'm not perfect, but I'm better."

"I'm really happy to hear that, Kitty. And I'm really glad you're back, we all missed you."

"Yeah," Kitty says, folding her hands in her lap. "Yeah, I missed you all too."

A sudden tapping on the door makes them both jump, and then Sherlock's voice sounds. "No helping, Watson!"

Joan rolls her eyes. "I'll let you get back to it. Good luck."

"Thanks," Kitty says with a quiet laugh.

Joan leaves the room, and a moment later, Sherlock pops his head in.

"She didn't tell me anything, Sherlock," Kitty says before he can ask. "She just wanted to talk. Now, bugger off so I can figure this out."

A ghost of a smile flickers over his face, and he nods quickly as he disappears from sight, the door closing behind him.

Kitty smiles as she looks back at the papers in front of her, a warm feeling settling in her chest as she goes back to reading about the case.


End file.
